Ink distribution for rotary printing presses



1944- H. M. BARBER 2,354,981

INK DISTRIBUTION FOR ROTARY 1 RINTING PRESSES Filed June 11, 1942 3Sheets-Sheet l 1944- H. M. BARBER 2,354,981

INK DISTRIBUTION FOR ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES Filed June 11," 1942 3Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

1944- I H. M. BARBER 2,354,931

INK DISTRIBUTION FOR ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES File d June 11, 1'942- 3Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR. M $4M Patented Aug. 1, 1944 OFFICE INKDISTRIBUTION FOR ROTARY PRINTING PBESSES Howard M. Barbenlawcatuck,Conn., assignor ,to C. B. Cottrell & Sons Company, Wester- R. 1., acorporation of Delaware Application June 11, 1942, Serial No. 446,600 16Claims. (01. 101- 350) In high speed printing it is desirable that theink should be applied in the required predetermined amounts totheprinting cylinder of a rotary printing press according to therotative speed of the printing cylinder and according to the characterof the product to be printed and without changing the flow of the inkfrom the fountain.

The object of my invention is to provide simple and effective means inthe ink distribution for ensuring the right quantity of ink to beapplied along the printing cylinder, which means includes, generally, anink transfer roller located in the low speed portion of the inkdistribution, said ink transfer cylinder being provided with inktransfer surfaces of predetermined areas, some or all of which surfacesmay be raised. One or two oscillating ductor rollers may be providedbetween the low and high speed portions of the ink distribution wheretwo ductor rollers are provided, manually operated means being employedfor changing the timing of one ductor roller with respect to the other,preferably while the press is running.

My invention includes, inv an ink distribution, in one instance, asectional ink transfer roller in which all of the sections are providedwith one or more ribs having ink transfer surfaces of different areas,and, in other instances, a sectional ink transfer roller in which one ormore of the sections will be provided with continuous transfer surfaces.1

My invention more particularly'includes, in an fer roller. Fig. 6represents a cross section taken in the plane of the line VI-VI of Fig.5. Fig. '7 represents a. cross section taken in the plane of the lineVII-VII of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 represents a cross section taken in the planeof the line V1IIVIII of Fig. 5. Fig. 9 represents a side view, partly insection, of a modified form of ink transfer roller. Fig. 10 represents across section taken in the plane of the line X-X of Fig. 9. Fig. 11represents an enlarged detail plan view of the means for controlling thetiming of one of the ductor roller operating cams with respect to theother ductor roller operat- 11. Fig. 15 represents a cross section takenin the plane of the line XVXV of Fig. 11. Fig.

16 represents in diagram an ink distribution which includes a singleductor roller which oscillates between the low and high speed inkcylinders of the distribution. Fig. 1! represents an enlarged sideelevation of another form of secink distribution, a sectional inktransfer roller comprising a cylindrical core and a plurality of sleevesremovably mounted end to end thereon,

all or certain of the sleeves having ribs of varying widths according tothe character of the printed product arranged in diiferent relativepositions along the roller; or certain of the sleeves having continuousink transfer surfaces,

according to where greater or lesser quantities of ink are to be appliedtothe printing cylinder.

Practical embodiments of this invention are represented in theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 represents in diagram an inkdistribution which includes a sectional ink transfer roller and twoindependently operated ductor rollers. Fig.2 represents the inkdistribution gearing. Fig. 3 represents a detail section showing aportion of the driving means for the ink distribution. Fig. 4 representsa diagrammatic view of a slightly modified form of .ink distribution.Fig. 5 represents an enlarged side elevation, partly in section, of oneform of ink transtional ink transfer roller in which two of the sectionsare shown as having spiral ribs of different areas and a third sectionas having a continuous transfer surface; Fig. 18 represents a crosssection taken in the plane of the line XVIII-XVIII of Fig. 1'7. Fig. 19represents in side elevation still another form. of sectional inktransfer roller in which two of the sections are shown as havingstraight ribs provided with ink transfer surfaces of 'diflerent areasand a third section as having a continuous transfer surface.

The ink fountain of the distribution is denoted by II. The slow speedportion of the ink distribution is shown as comprising the ink fountainroll l2, the rollers I3, ll, the ink transfer roller l5,.the rollers l6,l1, l8, l9 and the ink cylinder 20. The high speed portion of thedistribution is shown as comprising the ink cylinder'2 I and the rollers22, 23, 24, 25 and 26. The two independently operated ductor rollers 21,28, illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, oscillate between the slow speed inkcylinder 20 and the high speed ink. cylinder 2|. The form inking rollersare denoted by 29, 30, 3|, 32 and their form or printing cylinder isdenoted by 33. The slow speed portion of the ink distribution is shownas including the gears 34 to 4| inclusive which are driven from thevertical drive shaft 42 through the bevel gears '43, 44, horizontalshaft 45 and worm gears 48, 41. The high speed portion of the inkdistribution is shown as including the bevel gears 48, 48 and the spurgears 50, Si, 52, 53, 54, 55.

The means for oscillating the ductor roller 21 between the slow and highspeed ink cylinders 28 and 2| is shown as including a cam 80 on theshaft 8|, which cam reciprocates the forked rod 82 connected to one armof the rock lever 83,

'84. The means for independently oscillating the ductor roller 28between the slow and high speed ink cylinders 20 and 2! is shown as acam 85 on the shaft 88, which cam reciprocates the forked rod 8.!connected to one arm of the rock lever 88, 88. I

The shaft 88 of the cam 88 is driven from the shaft 8| of the cam 88through a planetary gearing as follows. A spur gear." on the shaft 8 imeshes with a gear II which in turn meshes with a gear 12 on a shortshaft 18 located in alinement with the cam shaft 88. The shaft 13 has anarm 14 provided with a pinion 15 which meshes with a spur gear 18 on thecam shaft 88 and also with'the internal teeth 1''! of a ring 18 carriedby the end plate 19 of the housing 88.

The means for varying the timing of the ductor roller 28 with respect tothe ductor roller 21 to regulate the amount of ink transferred from thelow speed ink cylinder 20 to the high speed ink cylinder 2| isillustrated in Figs. 11 to 15 inclusive and is shown as comprising thefollowing elements. A hand shaft 8| is provided with a worm 82 whichmeshes with the external teeth 83 of the said ring 18. This shaft 8i maybe turned in either direction by a suitable tool, not shown, foradvancing or retarding the shaft 88 which carries the cam 85.

In certain instances only one ductor roller between the low and highspeed ink cylinders may be used in combination with the new form of inktransfer roller. This may be accomplished by omitting either the ductor.roller 27 or 28. In Fig. 16 I have shown the ductor roller 28 as beingomitted.

The sectional ink transfer rollers may be pro vided with raised andcontinuous ink transfer surfaces of predetermined areas so as totransfer different predetermined amounts of ink in the ink distribution.These ink transfer rollers may be made in various forms. In Fig. I haveshown the sectional roller as comprising a cylindrical core 84 on whichthree sleeves 85 are removably mounted end to end in the desiredrelationship. These sleeves 85 are provided with annular series ofspiral ribs 86 of different predetermined widths varying froma quitenarrow width to a quite wide width. In Fig. 9 the sleeves 85 areprovided with annular series of straight ribs 81 of differentpredetermined widths. In Fig. 17 the sectional ink transfer roller isshown as comprising two sleeves 85 provided with annular series ofspiral ribs having their ink transfer surfaces of differentpredetermined widths and a third sleeve 85* having a continuous'transfersurface. In .Fig. 19 the sectional ink transfer roller is shown ascomprising the two sleeves 85 provided with annular series of straightribs having their ink transfer surfaces of different predeterminedwidths and a third sleeve 85* having a continuous ink transfer surface.

It is to be understood that the sleeves on these ink transfer rollersmay be arranged in any predetermined relationship to ensure the properdistribution of ink according to the printing re-' core to preventcircumferential displacement thereon.

The means which I have shown for preventing endwise displacement of thesleeves is shown as comprising nuts 88 threaded on the roller shafts 88,overlapping collars 88 being located between the nuts and the sleeves.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 where the printing cylinder 83 rotatesin the opposite direction from that shown in Fig. 1, the inking rollerl3 and the gear 35 may be omitted and the rollers l8, I8 and 22 are'alsoshifted to the undersides ofthe ink drum 20 and the ink cylinder 23respectively.

By the use of the ink transfer rollers constructed as hereinabove setforth for regulating the supply of ink between very wide limitsindependently of the ink fountain supply, I am enabled to obtain in highspeed presses a very superior grade of printing. This result isfurthered in high speed presses by the relative timing of the twoindependently oscillated ductor rollers" which permits the second ductorroller to either operate against a surface portion of the ink cylinder28 from which the ink has been removed by the first ductor roller, orcan be timed so that a portion of its dwell will be against theso-called bare part of the cylinder and the balance against the surfacecarrying the full supply of ink, or so that its entire dwell will be onthe surface of the ink cylinder having the full supply of ink.

The transfer rollers shown and described but not claimed per se hereinform the subject matter of my divisional application filed Jun 12, 1943,Serial No. 490,562.

It is evident that various changes may be resorted to in theconstruction, form and arrangement of the several parts withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do notintend to be limited to the particular embodiments herein shown anddescribed, but what I claim is:

1. In an ink distribution for rotary printing presses, two inkcylinders, two ductor rollers, means for independently oscillating thembetween the said ink cylinders, and manually operated means for shiftingthe timing of one ductor roller with respect to the other ductor roller,to cause said first named ductor roller to contact with a bare surfaceor a partly bare and partly inked surface or a wholly inked surface ofone of said ink cylinders.

2. In an ink distribution for rotary printing presses, two inkcylinders, two ductor rollers, means for independently oscillating thembetween i the said ink cylinders, and manually operated quirements.These sleeves may be keyed t e means, operable while the press isrunning, for shifting the timing of one ductor roller with respect tothe other ductor roller, to cause said first named ductor roller tocontact with a bare surface or a partly bare and partly inked surface ora wholly inked surface of one of said ink cylinders.

3. In an ink distribution for rotary printing presses, two inkcylinders, two ductor rollers, two cams for independently oscillatingthem between the said ink cylinders, and manually operated means forshifting the position of one cam rotatively with respect to the othercam to change the timing of one ductor roller with respect to the otherductor roller, to cause said first named ductor roller to contact with abare surface or a partly bare and partly inked surface or a wholly inkedsurface of one of said ink cylinders.

4. In an ink distribution for rotary printin presses, two ink cylinders,two ductor rollers, two cams for independently oscillating them betweenthe said ink cylinders, and manually'operated means, operable while thepress is running, for shifting the position of one cam rotatively withrespect to the other cam to change the timing of one ductor roller withrespect to the other ductor roller to cause said first named ductorroller to contact with a bare surface or a partly bare and partly inkedsurface or a wholly inked surface of one of said ink cylinders.

5. In an ink distribution for rotary printing presses, low and highspeed ink cylinders, two ductor rollers, means for independentlyoscillating them between said ink cylinders, and man-' ually operatedmeans for shifting the timing of one ductor roller with respect to theother ductor roller to cause said first named ductor roller to contactwith a bare surface or a partly bare and partly inked surface or awholly inked surface of saidlow speed ink cylinder.

6. In an ink distribution for. rotary printing presses, low and highspeed ink cylinders, two ductor rollers, means for independentlyoscillating them between said ink cylinders, and manually operatedmeans, operable while the press is running, for shifting the timing ofone ductor roller with respect to the other ductor roller to cause saidfirst named ductor roller to contact with a bare surface or a partlybare and partly inked surface or a wholly inked surface of said lowspeed ink cylinder.

7. In an ink distribution for rotary printing presses, low and highspeed ink cylinders, first and second ductor rollers, means foroscillating the first ductor roller between said low and high speedportions, means for independently oscillating the second ductor rollerbetween the high and low speed portions, and manually operated means forvarying the timing of the second ductor roller with respect to the firstductor roller whereby the second ductor roller is caused to contact witha bare surface or a partly bare and partly inked surface or a whollyinked surface of one of said ink cylinders.

- 8. In an ink distribution for rotary printing presses, low and highspeed ink cylinders, first and second ductor rollers, means foroscillating the first ductor roller between said low and high speedportions, means for independently oscillating the second ductor rollerbetween the high and low speed portions, and manuallyoperated means,operable while the press is running, for varying the timing of thesecond ductor roller with respect to the first ductor roller whereby thesecond ductor roller is caused to contact with a bare surface or apartly bare and partly inked surface or a wholly inked surface of one ofsaid gearing driven by said first named means for independentlyoscillating the second ductor roller between the low and high speedportions, and manually operated means for varying the timing of thesecond ductor roller with respect to the first ductor roller whereby thesecond ductor roller is caused to contact with a bare surface or apartly bare and partly inked surface or a wholly inked surface of one ofsaid ink cylinders.

presses, low and high speed ink cylinders,first and second ductorrollers, means for oscillating the first ductor roller between saidlowand high speed portions, means comprising a planetary gearing driven bysaid first named means for independently oscillating the second ductorroller between the low and high speed portions, and

' manually operated means, operable while the press is running, forvarying the timing of the second ductor roller with respect to the firstductor roller whereby the second ductor roller is. caused to contactwith a bare surface or a partly bare and partly inked surface or awholly inked surface of one of said ink cylinders.

11. In an ink distribution for rotary printing presses, low and highspeed ink cylinders, first and second ductor rollers, means foroscillating the first ductor roller between said low and high speedportions, means comprising a planetary gearing driven by said firstnamed means for independently oscillating the second ductor rollerbetween the low and high speed portions, and manually operated means forvarying the timing of the second ductor roller with respect to the firstductor roller, comprising a hand shaft provided with a worm and gearconnection with said planetary gearing whereby the second ductor rolleris caused to contact with a bare surface or a partly bare and partlyinked surface or a wholly inked surface of one of said ink cylinders.

12. In an ink distribution for rotary printing presses, low and highspeed ink cylinders, first and second ductor rollers, means foroscillatingthe first ductor roller between said low and high speedportions, means comprising a planetary gearing driven by said firstnamed means for independently oscillating the second ductor rollerbetween the low and high speed portions, and manually operated means,operable while the press is running. for varying the timing of thesecond ductor roller with respect to the first ductor roller, comprisinga hand shaft provided with a worm and gear connection with saidplanetary gearing whereby the secondductor roller is caused to contactwith a bare surface or a partly bare and partly inked surface or awholly inked surface of one of said ink cylinders,

13. In an ink distribution for rotary printing presses, low and highspeed ink cylinders, first and second ductor rollers, means including a'rotary cam shaft and its cam for oscillating the first ductor rollerbetween said low and high speed portions, means including a rotary camshaft and its cam for independently oscillating the second ductor rollerbetween the low and high speed portions, a planetary gearing driven bysaid first named cam shaft and driving the second named cam shaft, andmanually operated. means acting on the planetary gearing for varyingthetiming of the second ductor roller with respect to the first ductorroller whereby the second ductor roller is caused to contact with a baresurface or a partly bare and partly inked surface or a wholly inkedsurface of one of said inked cyl-' inders. y

14. Inan ink distribution for rotary printing presses, low and highspeedink cylindersfirst and second ductor rollers, means including a rotarycam shaft and its cam for oscillating. the

first ductor roller between said low and high speed portions, meansincluding a rotary cam 'shaft and its cam for independently oscillatingthe second ductor roilerbetween the low'and high speed portions, aplanetary gearing driven .10. In anink distribution for rotary printingN by said first named 08m Shaft and d lvi s the

